2016 BIO International Convention Super Sessions Announced

Washington, D.C. (March 10, 2016) – The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) announces the lineup for Super Sessions at the 2016 BIO International Convention, taking place in San Francisco’s Moscone Convention Center from June 6-9. Considered the global event for biotechnology, this year’s program is built around an “Imagine” theme.  Six Super Sessions will run during the course of the four day conference with topics on innovation and a look to the future.

“The pace of biotechnology innovation reflects our industry’s continued commitment to improved technology and therefore improved lives for all of us,” said BIO President and CEO Jim Greenwood. “We are enhancing the conference experience by offering compelling Super Sessions led by the industry’s top executives. This year we have added another half day of One-on-One Partnering due to overwhelming demand, as well as multiple business forum locations and a new ‘Imagine Theater.’ It’s the best place for sharing, networking and imagining the future.”

A complete list of Super Sessions can be found at myBIO; new speakers are being confirmed continually. Some highlights include:

Beyond the Cutting Edge: How to Enable Life Science Organizations Today for the Societal Challenges of Tomorrow
Tuesday, June 7, 11:15AM – 12:30PM
Sponsored by: Bayer

Visionary leaders are looking to push the boundaries of conventional industry thinking by addressing the future societal needs presented within an aging and ever increasing global population. This session will discuss how technological advancements in life sciences such as gene editing, precision medicine, digital farming and big data analytics are being used to address future life science challenges — today.

Moderator: Rob Wright, Chief Editor Life Science Leader Magazine
Panelists: Noubar Afeyan, Senior Managing Partner and CEO, Flagship Ventures; Philip Blake, President, Bayer; Jessica Mega, Chief Medical Officer, Verily Life Sciences; Matthew Meyerson, Professor, Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute & Harvard Medical School

Seeking Healthcare Sustainability: The Economic Role of Drugs and Therapies
Tuesday, June 7, 3:00PM – 4:15PM 
Sponsored by: EY

As population’s age and the incidence of chronic disease continues to rise, governments and other payers are looking for solutions to make healthcare expenditures sustainable. During this Super Session, a panel of healthcare stakeholders will discuss the biotechnology industry’s hot button pricing issue and innovative solutions that reward improved health outcomes.

Moderator: Glen Giovannetti, Global Life Sciences Leader, EY

Curative Therapies: Aligning Policy with Science to Ensure Patient Access
Wednesday, June 8, 10:45AM – 12:00PM 
Sponsored by: Baxalta Inc.

In the face of the coming revolution in disease-altering medicines such as gene therapies, our health systems must evolve from chronic management of disease to provision of curative therapies that have the potential to tangibly benefit patients and significantly lengthen treatment intervals. A diverse set of panelists will tackle the tough questions around curative therapies and discern what changes are necessary for our health care delivery system to meet the challenges they pose.      

Moderator: Susan Schaeffer, Editor, BioCentury
Panelist: John Glasspool, Executive Vice President and Head of Corporate Strategy and Customer Operations, Baxalta Inc.

Healthcare Disrupted: Moving Towards the Patient-Centered, Value-Driven Biopharma
Wednesday, June 8, 3:00PM – 4:15PM 
Sponsored by: Accenture

The global healthcare industry is undergoing a profound and fundamental shift from rewarding volume of sales, procedures performed and patients treated to a focus on improving overall health, patient outcomes and value for the health system. The session will explore four new business models in action with specific learnings, strategies and steps that you can take to prepare and implement.

Moderator: Jeffrey Elton, Managing Director, Accenture

Deal-Making in the Headwinds: How Will Market and Political Pressures Impact Biopharma Deals in 2016?
Thursday, June 9, 10:00AM – 11:15AM 
Sponsored by: inVentiv Health Consulting

After a record-breaking year for deal-making, 2016 is shaping up to be a challenging year. With increasing scrutiny of pricing practices further magnified in a Presidential election year, mounting pressure on biopharma companies to recoup their investments and a volatile stock market, the industry is facing serious headwinds in the year ahead. A highly distinguished panel of deal-makers will explore the impact these market forces will have on pharmaceutical and biotech companies as they strive to make the next big deal.

Moderator: Neel Patel, Managing Director, inVentiv Health Consulting
Panelist: Henry Gosebruch, Chief Strategy Officer AbbVie

Scientific American Worldview: Biotechnology in the Age of Convergence
Thursday, June 9, 2015, 2:00PM – 3:15PM

In this multidisciplinary, flattened world, the fields of tech and biotech are coming together like never before. What can they teach each other? And what are the challenges and opportunities conferred by their growing alliances? The Scientific American Worldview Super Session will explore these ideas along with the larger themes of the 2016 edition of Worldview with industry experts, policymakers and preeminent scientists. Co-hosted by Scientific American, this Super Session now in its 8th year, will examine global life science innovation in unique and dynamic new ways.

Moderator: David Brancaccio, Host, American Public Media’s Marketplace Morning Report

Advance media registration is now available for qualified reporters working full time for print, broadcast and web publications with valid press credentials. To register, please visit here.

Upcoming BIO Events 

About BIO
BIO is the world's largest trade association representing biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world’s largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world. BIOtechNOW is BIO's blog chronicling “innovations transforming our world” and the BIO Newsletter is the organization’s bi-weekly email newsletter. Subscribe to the BIO Newsletter.